A military judge on Friday reportedly tossed out a key confession made by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind behind the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, delivering a major setback to federal prosecutors in the yearslong case.
Trial judge Lt. Col. Michael Schrama determined that statements Mohammed gave to investigators in 2007 were not made voluntarily, according to sources familiar with the ruling.
The decision removes Mohammed’s confessions from the case and could jeopardize the prosecution as officials prepare for a trial that has already been delayed for years.
The U.S. military did not immediately release Schrama’s decision to the public, citing an ongoing “security review.” However, sources familiar with the ruling confirmed that the judge excluded Mohammed’s 2007 statements from the upcoming proceedings.
The dramatic development came just days after Schrama scheduled Mohammed’s trial for June 2028. The trial date was announced as the country approaches the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people.
Mohammed has been described as the principal architect of the attacks. His case has faced repeated delays, creating years of uncertainty for relatives of those killed on 9/11.
Rear Adm. Aaron C. Rugh, the chief military prosecutor overseeing the case, told The New York Times on Friday that he plans to examine the judge’s decision before determining the government’s next move.
Rugh said he would review the ruling and “make a decision on whether to appeal in the near future.”
Any appeal could once again push back a case that has remained unresolved for years. The possibility of another delay has added to concerns among victims’ families, some of whom fear Mohammed could die in military custody before a court reaches a verdict.
Friday’s ruling represents another major complication in the federal government’s effort to bring Mohammed to trial more than two decades after the attacks.
The exclusion of his confession could force prosecutors to reconsider how they present their case when the proceedings begin. It also raises the possibility that the government will challenge Schrama’s finding before the June 2028 trial date.
For now, the military prosecution must decide whether to accept the judge’s ruling or pursue an appeal that could place the newly established timetable in jeopardy.
The case has already become one of the most prolonged legal proceedings connected to the terrorist attacks. Schrama’s decision adds another layer of uncertainty as prosecutors, defense lawyers and victims’ relatives wait to see whether the government will challenge the ruling.
With the 25th anniversary of the attacks approaching, the latest setback underscores the continuing legal battle over Mohammed’s prosecution and the prospect that families may have to wait even longer for a verdict.
[READ MORE: Canadian Leaders Reject Trump’s Renaming of Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’]
